The Sunbury Kangaroos are focused on trying to build more depth to close the gap between its two sides in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association.
The Kangaroos top side has dropped down to the Johnstone Shield this season after being relegated after last season.
After a number of player losses, the Kangaroos were initially set to drop to the Jensen Shield but were moved back into the Johnstone Shield, the second grade.
Kangaroos coach Jas King said things were going along alright.
“We lost a lot of players the last couple of years and it has affected our depth,” he said.
“It’s worked out now too bad. The twos are equal bottom, but we’re trying to build that depth, that is my focus at the moment.
“At the moment we have one side doing well and one not. We want to get both sides firing.”
King said the aim was to eventually return to the McIntyre Cup having taken a lot of lessons out of the past few seasons in the top grade.
It’s a return to coaching this season for King, who previously coached the side for a number of years.
He said he was really enjoying it and having juniors around the club had really got him going again.
This year the club has one junior side, but like many clubs has struggled to keep kids engaged in the sport.
“We’ve had a couple of the kids play seniors,” he said. “We had one last year and one this year, we’re starting to see them come through.”
The Johnstone Shield side has started the season with a 3-1 record.
They were the only team in the Johnstone Shield to get the win on 8 November as rain washed out games.
King said they didn’t think they would get on.
“We were going through Romsey and I didn’t think that we would play,” he said. “We got to Lancefield and it was clear and we were lucky to get a game.
“There’s been times when we’ve been on the other side and haven’t got on.
“We could have won the game on day one and that is something we’re striving for.”
King said they had focused on trying to get some of the younger guys to step up and take on more of a role this season.
In a test for the Kangaroos depth, Graeme Bennett and Corey Woolley are set to miss a number of weeks.
The Kangaroos are currently facing Eastern Hill in a two-day match starting on Saturday.
It’s the first time the two teams have played each other.
King said before the match it would be a good test with Eastern Hill one of the top teams early along with Diggers Rest Bulla, who the Kangaroos lost to.
On day one, Eastern Hill made 8-309.
King, Hayden Humphrey and Adam Fearnley took two wickets each for the Kangaroos.
Elsewhere, Diggers Rest Bulla has claimed first innings points against East Sunbury.
